War tends to bring out both the best and the worst in people, and the current U.S. engagements are no exception. So while the disturbing aspects are there, there have been some truly remarkable people. Take Scott Smiley, for instance.
Captain Smiley was blinded in a suicide attack in Mosul in 2005. A lot of people would have shut down. Not Smiley. He just got better. He enrolled at Fuqua and is doing very well there. He plans to go back to West Point to teach when he's done.
In the meantime, he just picked up a 2008 ESPY for the best outdoor athlete after climbing Mt. Ranier. What other words could apply here except for awed and humbled? A small prediction: he'll be a major inspiration for generations of future Cadets.
Here's an interview with Smiley worth listening to.